Originally Posted by
baggersup
I'm not normally a regulate-it person, but this airfare thing has become beyond ridiculous.
If the EU and UK want to cooperate on something useful, then standardize the air fare cateogories of charges and make the airlines have a web site that lists all of them clearly, to make up the bottom line.
Flying rarely within the Uk/EU, i recently had to book two flights to and from Ireland from the UK. Two, one-ways due to the destinations involved.
Trying to compare was so confusing, I gave up at one point and just decide to book the flight and airport with the time and location I wanted and didn't care what it cost! I decided it was worth the cost of a business class seat in order to avoid any questions about my suitcase, carry-on, and as a bonus would get lounge access, etc.
I came away from that fare checking, how big is my one suitcase, carryons allowed if the size of a lunch box, fuel surcharge, credit card booking fee, etc etc etc mess wondering if that's the goal. Make checking everything online so time consuming a busy person will just book and look away when we get the bill.
So they obsfucate on purpose.
In the good old days IATA used to set these standards, which most airlines followed. They were also submitted to governments for approval before they were implemented. However the EC decided that was anti-competitive, and the market should dictates these standards. So IATA was told they had to stop doing this, so the did.
So the only way to do it now is for governments (or the EC) to regulate these standards. Of course they will do that without consulting the airlines, who know little about these matters.
